


Clearing the Air

by Joe_Reaves



Category: Primeval
Genre: Angst, Fights, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-11
Updated: 2010-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-08 20:56:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Stephen fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clearing the Air

"You know I'm getting sick of this crap," Stephen snarled. "It was eight years ago. Either punch me or get the fuck over it because I am not going to put up with you cutting me out and running off with Connor and Abby every time we disagree."

Nick spun around to face him. "How the hell did you get in here?"

Stephen held up the keys Nick had given him years ago. "You never took your keys back, Cutter."

Nick rolled his eyes. "And here I was thinking you could take a hint and would know you weren't welcome." He held his hand out. "Since you so kindly reminded me though, you can give them back now."

"God, you're pathetic sometimes," Stephen said, shaking his head. He held his arms wide. "So which is it going to be? Are you going to try and actually live up to what you said in the mall or are we going to finally have this out? You get one free shot, Cutter."

"You're an arrogant little shit sometimes, Stephen," Nick told him, walking towards him slowly. "Today didn't have anything to do with you and Helen. It was about you refusing to listen to me. You were looking in the wrong damn place and we could have lost Abby because of it."

"Abby was only in danger in the first place because you went off on your own without back up!" Stephen snapped. "You got lucky. You didn't have any better idea than I did about where they were. And you think I'm arrogant?" He laughed harshly. "It's your way or the highway, you can't admit when you're wrong and you won't compromise. God, it's no wonder Helen left you."

Without even thinking about what he was doing Nick closed the distance between them, his fist shooting out and catching Stephen in the jaw. "You bastard."

Stephen staggered back, ending up leaning against the wall as he dashed the back of his hand across his mouth, smiling coldly as it came away bloody from the cut on his lip. "That was your one shot, Cutter. Try it again and I'll hit you back." He took a deep breath. "Feeling better now?" he asked. "Glad you've got it out of your system?"

Nick snorted. "If you think one punch will do it then you have no idea how much I resent having you around. You slept with my wife then lied about it for eight years, Stephen. You disgust me but we need you around so I'm doing my best to deal with it. You're not making it any easier, trying to brush it off as being eight years ago and pretending we should just forget it." He turned as if to walk away and then spun back, throwing a second punch.

This time, however, Stephen grabbed his arm before he could make contact, twisting it out of the way and moving closer so he couldn't try again. He kicked out, trying to trip Stephen and was pushed backwards, sending him to the ground and bringing Stephen crashing down on top of him. Nick rolled them over and Stephen struggled to get free, catching him in the ribs with his elbow and taking advantage of his momentary breathlessness to end up on top again.

Nick stared up at him, breathing heavily, and still mad as hell and then he felt it. Pressed against his thigh as he straddled him and tried to pin him down, Stephen was hard. Nick smirked up at him. "Can't decide which Cutter you want to fuck?" he sneered.

Stephen paled and Nick rolled them over again until he was pinning Stephen to the carpet. He struggled and tried dislodging him. "You wish!" he snapped back. "It's adrenaline." With an effort Stephen pulled away and scrambled to his feet, backing up hurriedly.

Nick jumped up and stalked towards him, feeling in control for the first time since Helen's revelation and wanting to punish Stephen. "Just adrenaline?" He chuckled. "I don't think so. If it was you wouldn't be running away."

Stephen stopped moving, stubbornness overcoming his fear. "Like hell. I just don't want to get punched again and since this was supposed to clear the air I'd rather not have to hit you. I'm trying not to give you more reasons to hate me after all."

"Who says I'd hate you for it?" Nick said with a wicked smile. "I think you could probably find some way to make up for everything now I know you want me."

"Fuck off, Cutter," Stephen said, backing up again and only stopping when he banged into the wall. "You're an arrogant bastard sometimes. I wouldn't sleep with you if you paid me."

"Oh I don't think that's true." Nick pressed him back against the wall. He kissed him hungrily, forcing his tongue into Stephen's mouth and feeling pretty smug when the other man let him. Stephen wasn't cooperating but he wasn't fighting back either. He pushed his thigh between Stephen's legs, rubbing up against the bulge in his jeans. When he pulled back, Stephen had his eyes closed and his entire body seemed to radiate misery.

Nick knew he should stop, but Stephen wasn't fighting him and he wanted this. He latched on to Stephen's throat and took the skin in between his teeth, nipping at it gently and then sucking until he'd left a mark, before trailing kisses along his jawline and up to his ear.

"Don't, please," Stephen gasped softly. "Please Nick, not like this."

Nick pulled back and gasped. He took a few steps back and turned around, running his hand through his hair. Punching him in the heat of the moment was one thing, but that had been cruel and unnecessary. "God, I'm sorry Stephen. I don't know what got into me."

Stephen leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. He wanted to walk over and turn Nick around so he could see his eyes, but he didn't think it would go down well. "Do you want me to quit?" he asked softly.

"What?" Nick spun around. "No! We need you."

Stephen smiled sadly. "I'm not the only zoologist in the world who knows how to shoot and track. You can replace me pretty easily, Nick. And let's face it – we can't work together any more."

"We can," Nick insisted. "We can make it work. I'm sorry. I'm angry and I wanted to punish you, but I don't want you to leave." His eyes were drawn to the red mark on Stephen's throat, the one he'd put there.

Stephen knew what he was looking at and he couldn't stop the colour rushing to his cheeks. "Even knowing I want you?" He laughed harshly. "No, I don't think we can, Nick, not any more."

Nick grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. "Don't go, Stephen, please. This isn't about you wanting me, this is about how I reacted. I won't do it again. I promise."

"Why did you?" Stephen asked sadly. "Do you really hate me that much now?"

"No." The whisper was explosive in the quiet room. "I don't hate you, Stephen. Don't you understand? I want you and I was jealous because you slept with Helen. I've known you for eight years and you've never even given me a second look but you slept with my wife." He let go of Stephen and backed away again, feeling almost as humiliated as he had when Helen had told him about the affair in the first place. "I was jealous and I was throwing a tantrum and I wanted to make you feel as bad as I did. I'm sorry."

Stephen spun around, sure Nick was making fun of him, but when he saw him he stopped. Nick's head was bowed and he looked as bad as he had back in the Forest of Dean when Helen had first told him about the affair. He never wanted to see Nick like that again and he had closed the gap between them before he even realised it. Wrapping his arms around the other man he pulled him close, resting his head on Nick's shoulder when he felt Nick's arms coming up around him.

"I'm here right now..." Stephen offered, part of him still afraid this was a lie, that Nick was taunting him, but he knew deep down Nick wouldn't do that, he didn't have that sort of spite in him, even as angry as he'd been.

Nudging Nick towards the couch, he almost fell into it, his body relieved to be at rest after the last few minutes. "You're wrong, Nick. I've looked, but you never saw it." Stephen sighed. "Do you still want me?"

Nick couldn't help snuggling closer, his head resting on Stephen's chest and Stephen's arms tightly around him. "I want you, but I don't want to hurt you again."

Stephen nuzzled his hair, coaxing him to lift his head and look at him. "I want you. This is probably the stupidest thing we've done in a while. We're barely even talking, but fuck I want you, right now."

Nick groaned. "Christ, Stephen, how could I possibly say no to that?" He reached between then and squeezed the hard bulge in Stephen's jeans.

Stephen groaned and pressed up into Nick's hand, rolling them slightly so he could reach for the fastening on Nick's trousers. He hurriedly unzipped them, feeling Nick doing the same to his. Then he slipped his hand inside and stroked Nick, with only the thin cotton of Nick's boxers between his hand and the hot flesh.

Nick groaned and wriggled his fingers into the tight jeans, rubbing up against Stephen's skin. "You're not wearing underwear," he said.

"I know that," Stephen teased. He started stroking Nick, the added friction of the cotton sliding between his hand and Nick's cock making the other man wriggle and thrust against him in frustration.

Nick managed to slide his fingers further into Stephen's jeans and brush them against his balls before moving back up again and stroking him. He buried his face in the crook of Stephen's shoulder and moaned.

Stephen groaned loudly and wrapped an leg over Nick's hip, pulling him even closer and thrusting his cock against Nick's cloth covered erection. The two of them clung to each other, stroking and squeezing and thrusting against each other.

"Fuck, Nick, so close," he moaned.

Nick growled and stretched up to kiss Stephen, sweeping his tongue possessively through the other man's mouth and pressing down against Stephen's erection. He pulled his hand out of the way and balanced himself above Stephen's body.

Stephen clung to Nick's shoulders as Nick thrust against him, grinding their bodies together. The friction with the other man's clothing against him was almost painful but it made it more real, less like one of his late night fantasies. He slid his hands down to squeeze Nick's ass, pulling him even closer and he hear Nick gasp his name.

Nick thrust once more and came, his come soaking into his boxers and making them cling to him. He could feel Stephen was still hard so Nick kept rubbing up against him, wanting to feel him explode.

Pulling Nick down for another hard kiss, Stephen arched up again, muffling his cry in Nick's mouth as he came. He collapsed back onto the couch, pulling his mouth away from Nick's and breathing heavily. His limbs felt like overcooked spaghetti, he was sticky and Nick was pressing against him almost uncomfortably, but he didn't want to move.

Nick buried his face in Stephen's neck again and kissed his throat. "I don't think I've come in my pants since I was at university," he complained.

Stephen chuckled and stroked his back, sighing happily. "Do you mind?"

Wriggling slightly, Nick shook his head. "I didn't at the time. I'm starting to get uncomfortably sticky now though."

"Get up then," Stephen said, nudging him slightly. "Can I stay?"

Nick blinked at him. "Of course!" He levered himself off the couch and held a hand out to Stephen. "Come to bed."

Stephen smiled and stood up, pulling Nick into another kiss. "That sounds like a plan to me," he said with a grin. "You, naked, in bed ... and me right there with you."

Nick smiled slowly. "That does sound good." He kissed Stephen slowly. "Come on. Let's get cleaned up and into bed and then we'll see what 'comes up'." He winked and Stephen laughed out loud, a genuine, happy smile curving his lips for the first time since Helen had revealed their secret.


End file.
